"'Tearful Press Conference' Lee Jun-seok... Pro-Yoon Faction Responds with Cynicism"

Lee Jun-seok "Please Lift the Silent Asceticism Curse"
Pro-Yoon Faction "Mocked Lightly, Now Suddenly Tears?"

Reactions within the ruling party are divided over former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok's "tearful press conference." Following the ruling party's significant defeat in the Seoul Gangseo District mayoral by-election, which confirmed the cold public sentiment toward the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, opinions are split between viewing Lee's remarks as a harsh critique aimed at prompting change within the government and ruling party, and criticism that it was merely an attempt to "build a justification" for parting ways with the party.

Earlier, on the 16th, Lee held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall, raising his voice to say, "President Yoon Suk-yeol should acknowledge the mistakes made during the past 17 months since taking office."

Lee also struggled to continue when referring to former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Chief Park Jung-hoon, stating, "The government and ruling party are not only blocking the investigation but are engaging in collective lynching." He further urged for change by saying, "Please lift the curse of the ruling party's collective silent protest."

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok is shedding tears while discussing current issues, including Marine Corps Corporal Chae and the Seo I-cho incident, during a press conference at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Yonhap News

Regarding this, former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min said on the 17th during CBS Radio's Kim Hyun-jung's News Show, "What Lee Jun-seok ultimately called for was, first, change in the president, and second, change in the party," adding, "It seems Lee also fundamentally believes that the 'Jungsucheong' (moderate voters, metropolitan area, youth) is important for the People Power Party to stand at the center of national governance."

Former People Power Party lawmaker Lee Eon-ju evaluated Lee's remarks as a check against the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

On the same day, on KBS Radio's Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs, Lee said, "Disappointment with state governance has accumulated over a year and a half, and decisively, it appears to be interference in the Seoul Gangseo District mayoral by-election nomination, which everyone now recognizes as a baseless nomination," adding, "The public thinks that if there is no check, the country's politics will become a complete mess, and this time they delivered a tremendous warning."

Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference on the 16th at the National Assembly urging the expulsion of former leader Lee Jun-seok. Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, some evaluated Lee's statement as abrupt, given that he had been engaged in a 'internal criticism' dispute with People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo. On the same day, lawmaker Yoo said on SBS Radio's Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show, "I thought it was a statement regarding Ahn Cheol-soo, but it was unexpectedly a statement attacking the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which was somewhat puzzling."

Jang Ye-chan, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, pointed out on BBS Radio's Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal, "It seems that whenever the Yoon Suk-yeol administration or the People Power Party struggles, he thinks that only by exploiting those gaps can his political space open," adding, "Until just a day before that press conference, he was laughing on YouTube and frivolously mocking the government and ruling party, so I don't think many people will sympathize with him suddenly shedding tears solemnly."

Jang also claimed, "I think former leader Lee Jun-seok personally fears being nominated in Nowon," and "He is not confident about winning in Nowon."

He continued, "If he wants to give heartfelt advice, he should carry weight," and "He should be recognized by the public and party members and play a role within the party."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.